Historical Background
The Filipino Revolutionists won against the Spaniards who colonized us for more than 300 years. Our flag was hoisted on June 12, 1898 as a symbol of our independence. Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo was elected the first President of the Philippine Republic but this was short-lived.The Filipino-American war resulted in the defeat of Gen. Miguel Malvar in 1903.
The peace movements started as early as 1900. Many Filipinos started writing again and the nationalism of the people remain undaunted.
Filipino writers went into all forms of literature like news reporting, poetry, stories, plays, essays, and novels. Their writings clearly depicted their love of country and their longings for independence.
The active arousal in the field of literature started to be felt in the following newspapers:
1. EL NUEVO DIA (The New Day): established by Sergio Osmeña in 1900. The American censors twice banned thisand threatened Osmeña with banishment because of his nationalistic writings.
2. EL GRITO DEL PUEBLO (The Call of the Nation): established by Pascual Poblete in 1900.
3. EL RENACIMIENTO (The Rebirth): founded by Rafael Palma in 1901.
There were also plays written then but after the first and second presentations, the Americans put a stop to this because of the consisternt theme of nationalism. Included here were the following:
1. KAHAPON, NGAYON AT BUKAS (Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow): written by Aurelio Tolentino depcting the suppression done by the Americans and their plan to colonize the Philippines.
2. TANIKALANG GINTO: of Juan Abad
3. MALAYA: by Tomas Remigio
4. WALANG SUGAT: by Severino Reyes
A. Characteristics of Literature during This Period
Three groups of writers contributed to Philippine Literature during this period.
During the first year of the American period, the languages used in writing were Spanish and Tagalog and the dialects of the different regions, but Spanish and Tagalog predominated.
In 1910, a new group started to write in English. Hence, Spanish, Tagalog, the Vernaculars and finally, English, were the mediums used in literature during these times. While the three groups were one in their ideas and spirit, they differed in their methods of reporting. The writers in Spanish were wont to write on nationalism like honoring Rizal and other heroes. The writers in Tagalog continued in their lamentations on the conditions of the country and their attempts to arouse love for one's native tongue. The writers in English imitated the themes and methods of the American.
A. Literature in Spanish
The inspiration of our Filipino writers in Spanish was Rizal not only because of his being a national leader but also because of his novels NOLI and FILI. These two novels contained the best qualities of a novel even written, in English or in Filipino. Those who were inspired to write in praise of hum were Cecilio Apostol, Fernando Ma. Guerrero, Jesus Balmori, Manuel Bernabe and Claro M. Recto.
CECILIO APOSTOL
Cecilio Apostol wrote poems dedicated to Rizal, Jacinto, Mabini and all other heroes but his poem dedicated to Rizal is considered the best poem in praise of the hero of Bagumbayan.
Here is what he wrote:
A RIZAL
Heroe immortal, coloso legendario
Emerge del abismo del osario
en que dermes el sueño de la gloria!
Ven! Nuestro amor, que tu recuerdo inflama,
de la sombrosa eternidad te llama
para ceñir de flores tu memoria.
Duerme en paz en las sombras de la nada,
redentor de una patria esclavizada!
No llores, de la tumba en el misterio,
del español el triunfo momentaneo,
que se una bala destrozó tu craneo
tambien tu idea destrozo un imperio!
Gloria a Rizal! Su nombree sacrosanto,
que con incendios de Thabor illumina,
el la mente del sabio es luz de idea,
vida en el marmol y en arpa canto.
Translation to English:
TO RIZAL
Immortal hero, whose greatness is legendary,
You emerged from the hollow of the grave,
Where you slumber in glorious dreams
Come, our love which your memory inflames
From eternal darkness we call to you
To crown your memory with flowers.
Sleep peacefully in the shadows of the other life
Redemptor of an oppressed nation
Don't cry, in the tomb is the mystery
Of the momentary triumph of the Spaniards
Even if a bullet destroyed your brain
Your spirit destroyed an empire
Glory to Rizal! Your sacred name
Like the fires of Thabor inflames
The talent of a genius, you're the light of the mind
a song for the harp
In marble, life.
FERNANDO MA. GUERRERO
It is believed that Fernando Ma. Guerrero shared with Apostol the reign in the balagtasan in Spanish during their time. He also dedicated a poem to Rizal but he collected the best of his poems in a book called CRISALIDAS, meaning, a kind of black, wooly caterpillar. Here are a few stanzas of his call to Rizal which he wrote on June 19, 1901 to commemorate Rizal's birthday.
INVOCACION A RIZAL
Te invoco porque no? - Yo necesito
en el fiero dolor que me atenaza
hablar contigo que dejaste escrito
el evangelio libre de tu raza.
Nuestra tierra, la tuya, un! ay padece
La ulcera social que combatiste
Ha retoñada y se exacerba y crece
Como en aquel ayer oscuro y triste.
English Translation:
A CALL TO RIZAL
I call on you - why not, I need
in this fierce illness that destroy my flesh
To talk with you, You who left imprinted
The gospel of the freedom of your race.
Our country, yours, ay, still suffering
The social cancer that you combatted
Has returned, irritationg, getting bigger
Like yesterday's - dark and sad.
JESUS BALMORI
Jesus Balmori is well-known for his pen name of Batikuling. He and Manuel Bernabe participated in a debate on the topic - (Remembrance and Forgetfulness). He was elected Poet Laureate in Spanish besting Manuel Bernabe.
Here is a stanza from the said debate:
Mi Tema es el Recuerdo, mi moto la hidalguia
Mi divisa un laurel, mi corazon un peñasco!
En mi frente una blanca, pluma de poesia
Ondula sobre el aguila de oro de mi casco
English Translation:
My topic is about remembrance, my motto is nobility
My symbol is a laurel, my heart a heavy stone
In front of me is a white poetic pen
That I wave above the golden eagle of my boat.
MANUEL BERNABE
Manuel Bernabe is a lyric poet and the fierceness of his nationalistic spirit was unchanged in any topic he wrote about. In his debate with Balmori, he was more attractive to the public because of the melodious words he used. He defended OLVIDO (Forgetfulness) and here is an excerpt from his piece:
Recordar! Ay del alma que recuerde!
la quiebra que ha sufrido la ilusion
la memoria es la fiera que nos muerde
el pobre corazon.
English Translation:
To remember! Poor soul that records
The sufferings you underwent in illusion
Memory is the fire that snared
My poor heart.
CLARO M. RECTO
In nobility of speech and theme, Claro M. Recto can compare with the other writers of Spanish. He collected his poems in a book entitled BAJO LOS COCOTEROS (Under The Coconut Trees). Here is a part of what he wrote to Rizal in an article entitled:
Ante El Martir!
(Before the Martyr)
Tagalo Redentor! la idea santa
que sembraste en las almas Filipinas
hoy es robusta planta
que se irgue en cada pecho y se agiganta
Florida de patioticas doctrinas.
English Translation:
Tagalog Redemptor! the holy idea
That you planted in the Filipino soul
Is now a robust plant
That springs in every soul and which grows
That flowers into patriotic doctrines.
Other Writers in Spanish:
1. Adelina Guerrea was the first woman poet in the Philippines who was good in Spanish. She obtained the Zobel prize in her song El Nido (The Nest).
2. Isidro Marpori became famous for his four books entitled Aromas de Ensueño (Scents of Dreams).
3. Macario Adriatico wrote of a legend of Mindoro entitled La Punta de Salto (The Place of Origin).
4. Epifanio de los Santos (known as Don Panyong). He was a good leader and biographer during the whole period of Spanish literature.
5. Perdo Aunatrio wrote the Decalogo del Proteccionismo.
B. Filipino Literature
FLORANTE AT LAURA of Francisco Balagtas and URBANA AT FELISA of Modesto de Castro became the inspiration of the Tagalog writers
Julian Cruz Balmaceda classifies three kinds of Tagalog poets. They were:
1. Poet of the Heart (Makata ng Puso): These included Lope K. Santos, Iñigo Ed. Regalado, Carlos Gatmaitan, Pedro Gatmaitan, Jose Corazon de Jesus, Cirilo H. Panganiban, Deogracias del Rosario, Ildefonso Santos, Amado V. Hernandez, Nemencio Carabana and Mar Antonio.
2. Poets of Life (Makata ng Buhay): led by Lope K. Santos, Jose Corazon de Jesus, Florentino Collantes, Partricio Mariano, Carlos Gatmaitan and Amado V. Hernandez.
3. Poets of the Stage (Makata ng Tanghalan): ked by Aurelio Tolentino, Patricio Mariano, Severino Reyes and Tomas Remigio.
In the realm of short stories that started to appear in the column Pangsandaliang Libangan (Short-time Leisure) and Dagli (Fast) we find here the names of Lope K. Santos, Patricio Mariano and Rosauro Almario. In the Liwayway Publications, we find Deogracias Rosario, Teodoro Gener and Cirio H. Panganiban.
Noted novelist or biographers were Valeriano Hernandez Peña, Lope K. Santos, Iñigo Ed. Regalado, Faustino Aguilar, etc.
Here are the autobiographies of some of the writers mentioned:
LOPE K. SANTOS
Lope K. Santos, novelist, poet and author, and grammarian covered three periods of Tagalog literature - American, Japanese and the contemporary period. If Manuel L. Quezon is called the Father of the National Language, Lope K. Santos is called the Father of the National Language Grammar. He was also called the "Apo" of the Tagalog writers. BANAAG AT SIKAT was his masterpiece.
JOSE CORAZON DE JESUS
Jose Corazon de Jesus is very popularly known as Huseng Batute. He was also called the Poet of Love in his time. ANG ISANG PUNOG KAHOY (A Tree), an elegy, is believed to be his masterpiece.
AMADO V. HERNANDEZ
Amado V. Hernandez was dubbed Makata ng mga Manggagawa (Poet of the Laborers) in our literature because he pictures in his poem the intense love for the poor worker or laborer. To him, a poem is a scent, bittersweet memories, a murmur of flowing water. The pen is powerful and according to him, even a king can be bent by the pen. He contributed a lot of writings to literature like ISANG DIPANG LANGIT (A Stretch of Heaven), BAYANG MALAYA (A Free Nation), ANG PANDAY (The Blacksmith), and MUNTING LUPA (A Small Plot), but his masterpiece is ANG PANDAY.
VALERIANO HERNANDEZ PEÑA
Together with Lope K. Santos he reached the summit of his novel-writing. He was known as Tandang Anong and his pen name was Kuntil Butil (Small Grain). He considers NENA AT NENENG his masterpiece.
IÑIGO ED. REGALADO
Iñigo Ed. Regalado was a son of a popular writer during the Spanish time known as Odalager. He proved that he not only followed the footsteps of his father but also reached the pek of his success by the "sumpong" (whim) of his pen. He also became a popular story-teller, novelist and newspaperman.
THE TAGALOG DRAMA
During the advent of the American period, Severino Reyes and Hermogenes Ilagan started the movement against the moro-moro (a play on the Spanish struggles against the Muslims) and struggled to show the people the values one can get from the zarzuela and the simple plays.
The people one should not forget in the field of writing are the following:
1. Severino Reyes: Father of the Tagalog drama and author of the immortal WALANG SUGAT.
1. Aurelio Tolentino: The dramatist in whom the Kapampangan take preide. Included in his writings were LUHANG TAGALOG, his masterpiece and KAHAPON, NGAYON AT BUKAS that resulted in his incarceration.
3. Hermogenes Ilagan: founded the group Campaña Ilagan that presented many dramas in Central Luzon.
4. Patricio Mariano: wrote the novel NINAY and ANAK NG DAGAT (Son of the Sea), his masterpiece.
5. Julian Cruz Balmaceda: wrote BUNGANGA NG PATING (Shark's Mouth). This gave him much honor and fame.
The Tagalog Short Story
Two collections of Tagalog stories were published during the American Period. First was the MGA KUWENTONG GINTO (Golden Stories) published in 1936 and 50 KUWENTONG GINTO ng 50 BATIKANG KUWENTISTA (50 Golden Stories by 50 Noted Storytellers) in 1939. The first was written by Alejandro Abadilla and Clodualdodel Mundo that contained the 25 best stories according to them. The second was written by Pedrito Reyes. PAROLANG GINTO (Golden Lantern) and TALAANG BUGHAW (Blue List) of Abadilla became popular during this period.
Tagalog Poetry
Almost all Tagalog writers during the American Period were able to compose beautiful poems which made it difficult to select the best. Even if poetry writing is as okd as history, poetry still surfaces with its sweetness, beauty and melody.
Other Forms of Literature
The following are those recognized in the field of Ilocano Literature:
1. Pedro Bukaneg: Father of Ilocano Literature. From his name was derived from the word Bukanegan which means Balagtasan (a poetic contest) in Ilocano.
2. Claro Caluya: Price of Ilocano Poets. Known as poet and novelist.
3. Leon Pichay: known as the best Bukanegero (from Bukaneg). Also a poet, novelist, short story writer, dramatist and essayist.
Literature of Kapampangan
(Pampango Literature)
Two stalwarts in the literature of the Kapampangans stand out. They are:
1. Juan Crisostomo Soto: (Father of Kapampangan Literature). The word CRISOTAN (meaning Balagtasan) in Tagalog is taken from his name.
2. Aurelio Tolentino: He trully proved his being a Kapampangan in his translation of KAHAPON, NGAYON AT BUKAS into Kapampangan which he called NAPON, NGENI AT BUKAS.
Visayan Literature
The following are the top men in Visayan literature:
1. Eriberto Gumban: (Father of Visayan Literature) He wrote a zarzuela, a moro-moro, and a play in Visayan.
2. Magdalena Jalandoni: Sge devoted her talent to the novel. She wrote ANG MGA TUNUK SAN ISA CA BULACLAC.
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